Imran Khan invites Sri Lanka to use BRI and CPEC to reach out to Central Asia

The Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, who is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka, invited Sri Lanka to participate in the (China-sponsored) Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) because these are connectivity projects which are necessary for the enhancement of trade and investment which, in turn, are needed for economic growth.

Khan told the media at the Temple Trees office of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa after talks that Sri Lankan products would be able to reach Central Asian markets though CPEC which runs from the Northern Karakoram range to the Arabian Sea in the South.

According to a press release from the Pakistan High Commission, Khan had extensive consultations with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa. The one-on-one meeting between the two was followed by delegation-level talks between the two sides.

The two leaders acknowledged the immense opportunities and vast potential for mutually beneficial collaboration in the areas of trade and investment, IT and human resource development, agriculture and science and technology, security and defence, culture and tourism.